ECHTER BERLINER !!!! IHR NICHT FUCK YOU

FUCK YOU TOURISTS. NO MORE ROLLKOFFER. WELCOME TO SCHWABYLON. Berlin U. Greetings from the Berlin welcoming committee in the form of meter-high graffiti adorning every available surface. One, ECHTER BERLINER !!!! IHR NICHT FUCK YOU, especially invites questions. What is a “real Berliner”? According to whom?

ECHTER BERLINER !!!! IHR NICHT FUCK YOU is a documentary theater piece exploring the diverging and converging experiences of so-called “expats”, often coming from comparably richer countries who travel to Berlin for self-realization, with those of so-called “immigrants”, often coming from comparably poorer countries for financial survival. At least, these are the generalizations.

For this piece, an international ensemble of six performers, each connected to a so-called “expat” or “immigrant” group, have conducted interviews with more than 60 members of their respective communities about their experiences in Berlin. Every word spoken on stage is taken from direct transcriptions of these interviews, revealing an oft-surprising picture of reality far beyond the banality of stereotypes.

Production photo by Manuela Schauerhammer

ECHTER BERLINER !!!! IHR NICHT FUCK YOU is the first part of Aliens of Extraordinary Abilities?, a two-part project investigating the experiences of so-called “expats” and so-called “immigrants” in Berlin and the Hauptstadt’s rapidly changing cityscape. The second part, Terrain of Threshold Voices, a collaboration with DISTRICT Kunst- und Kulturförderung, will take place in November and December.

This project is funded by the Hauptstadtkulturfonds (Capital Cultural Fund).